Details matter.

I reminded myself of this yet again when I discovered that my antenna switch and UHF connectors were dramatically reducing UHF signal strength and power output.

Thinking today about how to get more signal to/from a distant repeater, I considered multiple antenna options. Then, because it's a 70cm repeater, I thought about my connectors.

I'm using a Diamond DMN-X300NA 2m/70cm vertical with Type N connectors. I knew that UHF connectors introduced more loss at UHF frequencies (why then are they called UHF connectors???), so I bought both quality coax and good connectors to bring this into the house.

Bringing the coax into the house, it passes first through my outside-the-shack lightning protection system. I use a Type N connector arrester, but adapt to a UHF-UHF jumper going to the radio.

A couple of years ago, I added a switch allowing me to easily disconnect the antenna to reduce the risk of EMP/solar flare damage. I put a dummy load on the switch to reduce the risk of dummies (that would mainly be me, some days) keying the transmitter without an antenna (is that why they are called dummy loads?? :)))

So, for a test today, I removed the switch and second UHF/UHF jumper from the line and BOOM: three s-units signal improvement from the distant repeater.

First result of test: not thinking about the Yagi anymore.

Second result of test: reminding self that details matter.

Third result of test: thinking I'm going to tell you about this in case my story is helpful